SRI SANKARA MATTHAM – AN ACCOUNT OF TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
Thanks to the detailed account of Stapathi Shri Devalingam, we can even today appreciate the philosophical meaning behind the architecture of this temple.
We first pay obeisance to Lord Varasiddhi Vinayaka on the left & Lord Anjaneya on the right. Looking up the Raja Gopuram referred to as Stula Linga, we can see that it is in 5 parts representing the five elements or Pancha Bhutas – Space, Air, Fire, Water & Earth. On the Salai Kara Vimanam or Gopuram, we see Ganapathi, Vyasa & Agastya on right side & Muruga, Valli & Devasena on the left.
On the outer prakarams of the heptagonal Garbha Graha are the Shanmatha deities for the 6 faiths.
| Cult | Deity | Vigrapham |
| Ganapatyam | Lord Ganesha with trunk on Right Side | Thiruvakkarai near Pondicherry |
| Saktam | Goddess Sakthi as Tirupurasundari/ Rajarajeshwari | Pachaikkal (Andhra Pradesh |
| Sauram | Lord Surya (Sun God) in standing pose | Tiruvannamalai Tamil Nadu |
| Vaishnavam | Lord Vishnu as Hayagriva | Pattimalai Kuppam Near Kancheepuram |
| Saivam | Lord Shiva as Dakshinamoorthy | Siva Tiruvannamalai |
| Kaumaram | Lord Muruga as Balamurugan | Mayiladumparai Near Tindivanam |
It is a unique temple, one of its kind, where every pradikshanam or circumambulation is around the Guru and the Shanmatha deities. Another unique feature of this temple is that the Abhisheka Tirtha of all the deities goes back to the Garbha Graha, go around the Siva Linga and Adi Sankara and come out through the Gomukha. This symbolizes the principle that all river merge ultimately into the ocean, all deities lead us to the moksha sashtras sampradayavid i.e. guru.
There is a Tridala Vimana. There are three parts to the Stupi. We have Hamsapakshis on the top and the images of Sankara, Ganapati, Sakti, Surya, Vishnu, Dakshinamurthy and Karthikeya in standing and sitting postures in the next two parts in the same order.
Every small detail of this mattham has been planned to create an environment, perfect for a spiritual aspirant.